


vagueness

by moralityism



Series: Sympathetic Deceit Week [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Self-Esteem Issues, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Week, virgil's really mean in this one idk what happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-22 04:28:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16590854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moralityism/pseuds/moralityism
Summary: Logan worries about an off-hand comment from Thomas. Misunderstandings abound. Written for Sympathetic Deceit Week: Loceit Day.





	vagueness

**Author's Note:**

> Don't ask why this took me five months to post, because I have no answer for you.
> 
> Inspired by a bunch of posts by @sashaying-on-sonnshine on Tumblr.

Deceit has certain expectations when he wanders the mindscape. They aren’t unreasonable, he thinks, just simple things like respect for his personal space. So when Logan accosts him out of nowhere in the living room and makes a grab for his face, he’s understandably a bit startled.

He skitters back out of Logan’s reach and asks, “What are you doing?”

“Feeling your scales,” Logan informs him helpfully. “It’s for science.”

“Yes, because that explains everything,” Deceit deadpans. “What sort of science requires petting my face?”

Logan sighs. “Thomas raised the question of whether or not you excrete slime. I doubt you do, since that is not a trait snakes normally possess, but now that the question has been posed I cannot just live in ignorance.”

_Of course_. Deceit just  _loves_  the creepy two-face appeal that comes with his scales. Loves being treated like a freak. He certainly doesn’t wish it was the first time.

Might as well have some fun with it.

“That does sound horrible, doesn’t it?” Deceit drawls, and sinks back into his bedroom before Logan can react.

* * *

He’s in the kitchen, getting coffee, the next time Logan assaults him. He’s not used to others being up this early, so the attack surprises him, but this time he doesn’t flinch. He smoothly backs out of the reach of Logan’s fingers, and Logan nearly trips and falls. When he glares at Deceit, he merely winks his human eye and teases, “Better luck next time, Logic.”

Logan huffs. “I’m being made fun of, aren’t I?”

Deceit stifles a laugh. He wonders how far he can push it before someone else steps in. “Where on Earth did you get that idea?”

Logan blinks at him. “The phrase ‘better luck next time’ is typically used as a taunt, from my understanding. Should I update my vocabulary cards?”

Deceit gives him a long, appraising look. “Absolutely,” he says finally, and turns to get a coffee mug from the cabinet.

“As I thought,” Logan mutters to himself, “I am being teased.” He clears his throat to get Deceit’s attention, but Deceit doesn’t turn around. He pulls the pot from the coffee maker and begins pouring himself a mug, ignoring Logan. “You seem to believe that this is some sort of game, but I assure you that I am trying to collect true scientific data. I would very much appreciate your cooperation.”

“Is that right?” Deceit says, replacing the pot. He takes a long, slow sip from his mug, watching as Logan winces.  _Can’t stand black coffee, huh?_  “Sorry, Logan. I’d just love to work with you,” he continues, exaggerated disappointment written across his face, “but I’m afraid my schedule’s a bit full at the moment.”

“It would only take a second,” Logan protests, but Deceit interrupts him.

“It’s just not a good time, sorry.” He brushes past Logan and out of the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, “Good luck with your science, though, Mr. Sweet Tooth!”

“I do not have a fondness for sugar! Just Crofter’s!” comes the indignant reply, and Deceit laughs quietly into his coffee.

* * *

“You’ve been coming up here a lot more often lately!” Patton notes excitedly one day, plopping down on the couch next to Deceit as he reads.

“Ah, yes, well. There’s more, you know, natural light up here,” he says, wiggling his fingers vaguely at the window. He knows Morality would have his head if he figured out he was teasing Logan.

“Well, you’re welcome up anytime if it’ll  _brighten your day_!” Patton elbows him in the side and he rolls his eyes.

“No, you’re not,” Virgil contributes from the armchair, pulling one headphone off.

“Now, Virgil,” Patton warns, “be nice.”

“Hey, I’m not the one that–” Virgil stops, as if coming to a realization. He pulls his headphones all the way off and turns his head to the stairs. “Logan,” he calls, “Deceit’s down here!”

Deceit gives him a withering glare as the sounds of footsteps come echoing down the stairs. Virgil flips him off and goes back to reading on his phone, ignoring Patton’s protests.

Logan rounds the banister, notebook in hand. “Have you had a change of heart?” he asks, hope in his voice.

Deceit snorts. “That certainly would be nice for you, wouldn’t it?”

“What’s going on here?” Patton asks, frowning.

Logan crosses his arms, brow furrowed. “I merely need to borrow Deceit for a moment to collect some data…”

“He wants to pet my face,” Deceit interrupts, and Logan huffs.

“That’s not quite the way I’d put it, but yes.”

Patton tilts his head. “Logan, we don’t want to make him uncomfortable…”

“Come on, Deceit,” Virgil pipes up, voice dripping with honey, “it’ll only take a second, and then he’ll move onto whatever creepy-ass thing he wants to experiment on next and leave you alone!”

Deceit whirls to face him as Patton cries out “Virgil!” in protest. He offers Deceit a smirk dripping with venom, leaning forward in his chair, every bit the Dark Side he refuses to admit he is. He’s made it impossible for Deceit to make light of Logan’s interest, and he damn well knows it.

“Deceit,” Logan tries to say, but Deceit can feel heat creeping up his neck and he can’t stand it. Not when Virgil’s still grinning at him like that.

He shakes Logan off and sinks out.

* * *

Logan catches him outside his door hours later. Deceit wonders how long he’s been waiting there. He’s not sure he wants to know the answer.

“Deceit, I believe there’s been a misunderstanding,” he starts, but Deceit brushes past him. “I just want to…”

“No,” Deceit interrupts, whirling around, “I have no idea what you want, because this is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with this sort of treatment.” Logan tries to stutter some kind of excuse, but he ignores it and stalks off towards the stairs.

“Deceit, please, I just want to…” He reaches out to Deceit just as he steps onto the stairs…

…and trips over his own feet, sending himself tumbling the rest of the way down until he slams into the railing.

He’s not a person, and has no physical being, so he won’t sustain any lasting damage. But it still hurts, and it’s embarrassing, and when he blinks the stars out of his eyes, Patton of all people is standing over him, fussing and asking if he’s alright. Virgil is laughing hysterically from the couch.

He feels his face heating up. This day couldn’t possibly get any better. Too worked up to think properly, he slaps Patton’s hands away and snaps, “Would you people just stop  _touching me_?”

Patton’s eyes widen and he steps back, allowing Deceit to stand and brush off his clothes. “Sorry, Dee,” he says. “Didn’t mean to push your boundaries!”

Logan stutters to a stop in the living room, quietly watching Deceit flee to the kitchen. Virgil actually gets up from the couch and approaches him, and they have a conversation Deceit  ~~can’t hear~~  ignores as he raids the fridge for Crofter’s.

Having successfully obtained the holy grail of comfort food, he turns on his heel with a sweep of his cape and stalks back towards the stairs. Virgil casts a glare at him and turns back to the conversation. He stops Patton from approaching, too, and Deceit starts to wonder if he’ll be able to escape without further incident.

No such luck: Logan catches Deceit by the arm at the bottom of the stairs. Virgil and Patton step back to watch. Deceit braces himself to be scolded for taking Logan’s jelly.

He isn’t. “I apologize as well,” Logan says. “I admit I may have been a bit…extra in my attempts to ascertain the truth.”

“Modern slang suits you so well,” Deceit grumbles in lieu of a response, trying to pull out of Logan’s grip.

But Logan says, “Please,” and the sincerity in his voice stops Deceit in his tracks. “I assure you I was not trying to treat you as a ‘test subject’,” Logan continues. “It was pure curiosity. I find your scales…fascinating, I suppose. I wanted to know more, but I got ahead of myself, and for that I apologize.”

Deceit feels heat creeping up his neck. Discomfort, definitely. Not shame, or worse,  _modesty_. He’s even more uncomfortable with the honest apology than with the face-grabbing incidents, he decides.

So much so that before Logan can get out another word, Deceit uses his free hand to grab Logan’s and presses it against his scales, sliding it down his face slowly while maintaining direct eye contact. Logan trails off, bewilderment overtaking his features. Deceit lets the appendage drop after a few seconds, and the room goes dead silent.

“…Ha.” Logan says finally, then again, louder. “Ha! I knew it! I knew you couldn’t be slimy! It wouldn’t make any sense! I’ll have to let Thomas know. Ah, and write it in my journal!”

Deceit masks a sigh of relief and raises an eyebrow. “Are you happy now?”

“Yes, actually!” Logan exclaims. He’s wearing the sort of ear-splitting grin they only ever see on him when Crofter’s is involved. “Thank you!”

“Mmhmm,” Deceit mutters, feeling his face heat up once more. Virgil quirks an eyebrow at him. He seems amused, which irritates Deceit even more. Logan vanishes back up the stairs to his room, still rambling about something or another.

“Is that how he always is when he figures something out?” Deceit deadpans.

“Isn’t he just as cute as a button?” Patton gushes.

Virgil cracks a smile too. “You should see him talk about space.”

Deceit stares up the stairwell, lost in thought. He almost doesn’t catch Patton say, “Virgil, I think you have something to apologize for, too.”

“Not to that lying jerk, I don’t,” Virgil snaps.

“I will lock you both in a room until you get along,” Patton warns. It’s by no means a serious threat, but Virgil concedes anyway.

“I’m sorry for calling you creepy,” he mutters.

Patton pats him on the shoulder, then turns to Deceit. “Your turn!” he chirps with a bright smile. “And be honest! I know you can.”

Deceit rolls his eyes. “I’m sorry for trying to use Patton’s face to manipulate you.”

Virgil snorts. “Come on, we both know I had you figured out before we even left the theater,” he says, and Deceit does. He knew it then, too – he wouldn’t have taken the risk otherwise. “I’m not an idiot.”

Deceit laughs at that despite himself. “I wonder what that says about—”

“Can I ask a few more questions?” Logan interrupts from behind. When Deceit whirls around, he’s standing there with a notepad and an eager smile.

Deceit blinks. What more questions could he possibly have? He glances at Patton and Virgil, then back to Logan. He holds up the Crofter’s jar in his hands with a grin. “Can I bring this with me?”

Logan’s eyes widen as he realizes what Deceit is holding, and he opens his mouth to protest, but thinks better of it. Instead he takes a deep, calming breath and says, “As an apology for the earlier issue, yes. But only once.” The last sentence is accompanied by a fierce stare.

“Good enough,” Deceit says, and lets Logan drag him upstairs.

Patton claps his hands together. “Oh, I hope they end up being good friends! It’s so much easier when everyone gets along!” He wraps an arm around Virgil’s shoulder.

“I don’t trust him,” Virgil mutters, shoulders hunched inwards.

“Well, you know what they say!” Patton chirps, and Virgil winces preemptively. “When the cat is away…”

He obviously expects Virgil to finish the saying for him, but Virgil doesn’t have any idea what he’s trying to get at, much less the end of whatever it is he’s quoting. “How about I set the table for dinner?” he suggests instead.

Patton, mercifully, gives him a thumbs-up and drops the topic. “Does tortellini sounds good tonight?”

“Sure,” Virgil says, and follows him into the kitchen to get out the silverware.

“Set five places tonight, kiddo!”

Virgil gives him a look, trying to convey with his eyes just how much he does not want to do that, but Patton blithely ignores it. Virgil grumbles and grabs the extra silverware.


End file.
